Tag: Japan

Tokyo, Japan – Experience management (XM) platform Qualtrics has renewed its current partnership with IBM Japan in order to aid organizations in the customer experience (CX) through Qualtrics Experience Management Platform.

IBM joined the Qualtrics Partner Network (QPN) in November 2019 and established a dedicated Qualtrics team to support XM implementations. In February 2020, all members of the dedicated team were certified as Qualtrics consultants. 

The team has delivered professional implementation of Qualtrics EmployeeXM to organizations in Japan, including winning orders for large-scale employee experience projects and receiving the highest satisfaction score in IBM Japan after implementation.

Through the renewed partnership, IBM Japan becomes the reseller and implementation partner for Qualtrics in Japan. As Japan’s first-ever certified Qualtrics reseller, IBM Japan will provide one-stop support to customers implementing the XM solutions from Qualtrics to help them accelerate and expand the value of their investment.

According to Satoru Kumashiro, managing director of Qualtrics Japan, their appointment as an official reseller of Qualtrics in Japan is “a testament to the proven abilities of Qualtrics, which is already being successfully used by leading Japanese companies.”

“In a world where businesses succeed or fail based on the experiences they provide, Qualtrics is proven to help businesses across the globe design and continually improve the experiences delivered to customers and employees. As we continue to rapidly scale our operations in Japan, Qualtrics’ strategic partnership with IBM ensures businesses across the country can benefit today from the industry leading Experience Management Platform,” Kumashiro stated.

In addition to acquiring the Qualtrics reseller certification, IBM Japan will focus on achieving the partnership goals of continuous expansion of the XM market in Japan and expanded support for XM solutions to Japanese customers.

Tokyo, Japan – Global advertising agency R/GA in Tokyo has appointed Kei Shimada, former associate partner and founding member and leader of the Digital Makers Lab at IBM Tokyo, to be its new managing director, effective this month. The appointment aims to expand R/GA’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Shimada will now be responsible for leading the Tokyo office to drive innovation, human-centric work for the company’s local and international clients. He will be tapping into the agency’s deep creativity, tech, and design experience expertise, and will work closely with other regional leads in support of helping clients create a more human future. 

Prior to his new role, Shimada has had a long-standing career of helping companies around the globe. He specializes in redefining existing product and service strategies, and enhancing existing revenue streams, or creating new ones from the ground up. At Digital Makers Lab, IBM Japan’s business-to-business (B2B) workshop, Shimada led the digital transformation of clients and spearheaded the creation of world-first, region-first, and industry-first focused solutions, and business models.

Furthermore, Shimada has worked as the global director of innovation and business development at Dentsu, where he focused on the build-out of dentsu Aegis’, now called as denstu international’s, group wide innovation initiative that created new solutions around wearables, neural technology, locational big data, and crisis management infrastructures. He has also fulfilled the role of chief lab officer of dXLab, dentsu media’s innovation lab spanning eight countries in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Commenting on his appointment, Shimada said that he is excited to be given the opportunity to join R/GA and lead the Tokyo office. He believes that having such an eclectic mix of people working together serving local and global clients is something very unique in Japan, and one gives them a strong competitive advantage.

“I’m looking forward to further shaping and growing the Tokyo office as we deliver transformative solutions for clients that play at the intersection of bold ambition, creativity, and human truths,” commented Shimada.

Meanwhile, Tuomas Peltoniemi, the EVP and managing director of R/GA APAC, shared, “It’s exciting to have a respected, inventive, and influential leader like Kei onboard. With an ambition to leverage new technologies to help clients create new solutions for a more human future, coupled with an incredible track record of commercial and creative success, there’s no one else better to be at the helm of R/GA Tokyo.”

Shimada’s appointment completes the newly-formed Tokyo leadership team that is poised to work with Japanese and global brands, enabling growth both locally and internationally.

Japan – TotallyAwesome, the largest kids-safe digital advertising and content platform in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, has announced that it will be expanding its market presence in Japan to further reach the hard-to-get audiences.

Following this endeavor, the business has also hired Mikio Kudo, former country president of toy brand Mattel, to be its new country manager in Japan. He will be supported by new senior appointments at TotallyAwesome in the coming months.

Kudo brings with him 20 years of experience in marketing and media. He has previously worked as the executive director for commercial broadcasting company Turner Japan KK and media sales manager for financial software giant Bloomberg LP. Kudo specializes in managing licensing deals, original content sales, and advertising sales.

Commenting on Kudo’s appointment, Will Anstee, the CEO of TotallyAwesome, said that this is a huge strategic win for TotallyAwesome as Kudo is a rare talent who understands both the client and publisher sides in a complex market like Japan, enabling the business to execute superior engagement strategies for our clients’ competitive edge. 

“I couldn’t be more excited and optimistic for the future of the business, but more importantly, our continued ambition to make the internet safe and compliant for brands and Japanese youth online,” added Anstee.

The digital platform is an advanced forum for kids, teens, co-viewing families, and brands to safely interact across thousands of apps, games, and websites, enabling a youth-safe ecosystem across APAC. In Japan, TotallyAwesome has an audience of 17 million internet users aged six to 18 years old, as well as two million families that view the internet as a family unit.

Japan – Global apparel retailer UNIQLO has appointed Doraemon, the famous fictional character in the Japanese manga and anime series of the same name, as its global sustainability ambassador.

The ambassadorship will see the blue Japanese manga and anime character turned into a green model, to be called ‘Doraemon Sustainability Mode’, with the UNIQLO logo also rendered in green. The green color signifies the many ways in which the apparel retailer company materializes its sustainability message, “Changing our future through the power of clothing.”

The Doraemon character will be responsible for presenting the brand’s sustainability initiatives in fun and easily understandable ways. The company said that in turning Doraemon and the UNIQLO logo to green, it aims to emphasize the company’s determination to strengthen its sustainability efforts. ‘Doraemon Sustainability Mode’ will be featured in UNIQLO stores around the world, the brand websites, and other channels.

Doraemon will join Japanese actress Haruka Ayase, the sustainability activities lifewear special ambassador of UNIQLO, and other global brand ambassadors, which are Swiss professional tennis player Roger Federer, Japanese professional tennis player Kei Nishikori, and Japanese competitive snowboarder Ayumu Hirano, as well as British professional wheelchair tennis player Gordon Reid, and American actor Adam Scott, among others.

Doraemon and Ayase are slated to participate in the UNIQLO school outreach program for elementary, junior high, and high school students in Japan, while the other global brand ambassadors will also contribute to these endeavors through sports and by wearing everyday apparel incorporating environmentally friendly materials.

The company also shared what the new fictional ambassador would have commented: “Hi, everyone! I’m Doraemon and now I am Green! I’ll do my best as UNIQLO Global Sustainability Ambassador to help create a much brighter future! I want to work with you all, so we can make people everywhere more interested in the future of our world!”

Koji Yanai, the group senior executive officer of FastRetailing, shared that they are delighted to partner with Doraemon, saying that over the past two decades, UNIQLO has undertaken numerous sustainability initiatives through business to contribute to a better, more sustainable world. 

“We believe that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social transformations, and evolving consumer attitudes make it more important than ever to collaborate with customers and other stakeholders in driving positive social change,” added Yanai.

Singapore – Technology company AnyMind Group has announced that it will be forming a strategic partnership with Japan-based multi-channel network (MCN) UUUM with an objective of rebuilding the creator and influencer industry in Japan through mutual utilization of the resources from UUUM and AnyMind Group’s technology and data for influencer marketing and direct-to-consumer (D2C) offerings.

As an initial part of the partnership, both parties are looking at creating the largest influencer network in Japan for marketers, with a launch date set for the second quarter of this year. This network will enable marketers and agencies in Japan to tap on the largest-combined pool of content creators available, combining UUUM’s creators, expertise, and reach with AnyMind Group’s proprietary software, along with creators from AnyMind Group-owned GROVE.

In addition, UUUM will look to launch influencer D2C brands by tapping on AnyMind Group’s tools including AnyFactory (for cloud manufacturing) and AnyShop (for e-commerce), with further details to be announced later this year. 

For Kosuke Sogo, CEO and co-founder of AnyMind Group, their partnership with UUUM is all about “creating the infrastructure for next-generation businesses in Japan.”

“AnyMind Group has been creating intrinsic value for individuals and businesses across 13 markets around the world, with a focus on developing and providing technology and data-driven platforms, along with supporting businesses in the D2C domain. [This] will become a core foundation for rebuilding the creator and influencer industry in Japan and the world. We will continue to create synergies with UUUM and provide even more value for influencers and brands,” Sogo stated.

Meanwhile, Kazuki Kamada, CEO of UUUM said, “We are convinced that this partnership will enable us to realize a completely new influencer marketing across industries and to propose an evolved marketing plan by promoting data utilization. Together with AnyMind Group, we will open up a creator-influencer-driven future.”

Singapore – KINOKUNIYA, a pioneer of the ‘self-service supermarket’ in Japan, has recently announced that it will be opening two pop-up stores in Singapore, one in local restaurant JAPAN RAIL CAFE and one in Japanese department store, Isetan Scotts.

The chain said it is looking for fresh ways to connect to customers, and that with restrictions to international travel still in place, it has decided to bring some of the country’s most popular food items to Singaporeans through its first-ever pop-up series. 

KINOKUNIYA
KINOKUNIYA’s flagship store in Aoyama, Tokyo

For a limited period, the pop-up stores will offer an exclusive range of Japanese products, such as Strawberry Butter, a spread made with Japanese strawberries and butter; Premium Truffle Soy sauce, which is a blend of white olive oil, french black truffles, and Japanese soy sauce; and Drinking Yuzu Vinegar, which is a health boost made with yuzu juice and natural spring water.

The supermarket brand’s original KINOKUNIYA eco-bags are also available in the pop-up stores. A special promo has also been thrown in, where customers who spend above $20 on products, or order the ‘KINOKUNIYA Vinegar Drink’ at JAPAN RAIL CAFE will be given a special edition mini cooler bag.

The pop-up store will be open at JAPAN RAIL CAFE from February 27, 2021 to March 18, 2021, while the store at Isetan Scotts will open on March 5, 2021 until March 18, 2021.

Singapore – Marketing technology solutions provider AnyMind Group has recently acquired ENGAWA, a Japan-based marketing company that focuses  inbound and outbound marketing solutions for Japanese businesses and local governments in Japan to reach international audiences.

The recent acquisition is the fourth move of AnyMind Group to acquire a Japan-based business to further bolster its efforts in the direct-to-consumer base market expansion in Japan. Furthermore the acquisition will tap into ENGAWA’s expertise in merchandising and distribution, and network of over 700 manufacturers throughout Japan.

ENGAWA, which is a subsidiary of the SUNNY SIDE UP Group, also focuses in providing marketing and influencer marketing solutions, and helps Japanese manufacturers and businesses distribute their products internationally. Additionally, ENGAWA owns and operates Tokyo Weekender, an English language lifestyle print and digital publication in Japan.

“The lifestyle of consumers and the ways businesses reach their customers are changing dramatically, with digital becoming increasingly important. New digital solutions will be the key element for market recovery in the future. By providing AnyMind Group’s superior technology and offerings to local governments and regional clients together with Engawa’s strong marketing know-how, we will look to create a new infrastructure for businesses in Japan and the region,” said Takanobu Ushiyama, CEO and founder of ENGAWA.

AnyMind Group has previously made a joint venture with the SUNNY SIDE UP Group in July 2019. The joint venture, known as AnyUp, provided g marketers, public relations professionals and influencers in Japan with a combined offering of AnyMind Group’s influencer network, AnyCreator, and platform for influencer marketing, AnyTag (formerly known as CastingAsia), together with SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP’s public relations expertise.

“Consumers today expect businesses to have more digital touchpoints, whether it is interacting with a brand or buying products. As such, businesses need to quickly transform to fit the needs of modern consumers. The acquisition of ENGAWA takes us a step closer to creating the business infrastructure for next-generation businesses, ultimately enabling us to fulfil our mission of making every business borderless,” said Kosuke Sogo, CEO and co-founder of AnyMind Group.

Malaysia – Japan is known for innovating the global brand Nestlé’s KitKat into a multitude of exciting flavors that transcend the classic and basic variants of chocolate, white, and dark chocolate. One of its flavors – Cheesecake – which also happens to be bakeable is available in Malaysia.

Released in 2015, Japan has showcased yet another form of ingenuity on this one, where the KitKat variant can be eaten as it is or popped into an oven for a better – carmelized – version of the wafer.

Image from @junkfoodonthego on Instagram

According to KL Foodie, instructions to bake the KitKat can be found at the back of the packaging. One Instagram user Huizhen Li, with the handle @huizhen0106, showed on the social media network the transformation.

She shared the wafer selection is “crispy and light” where the white chocolate still dominates the cheese flavor.

KL Foodie said to place the KitKat on a baking sheet and put in a toaster or oven for about two minutes, then immediately, place in a freezer to let chill for a bit.

For the past years, one of the most popular Japan-made KitKat flavors is the ‘matcha’ or green tea. The maker responsible is the ‘KitKat Chocolatory’, which is actually the brand’s store for premium flavors which has presence in different countries worldwide.

KitKat Chocolatory in Japan
KitKat Matcha flavor

The store in Japan has produced the most unexpected selections within KitKats such as Soy sauce, Cherry blossom, and Ginger ale. Similarly with the cheesecake flavor, the country has released varieties Blueberry cheesecake and Strawberry cheesecake, and a bakeable Custard.

The cheesecake flavor is said to be limited edition. It comes in a packet of 12 mini KitKats and can be ordered via Shopee.

Main feature image from Huizhen Li (@huizhen0106) on Instagram.

Bangkok, Thailand – Japanese automaker Nissan has announced three new changes in the senior management of the company’s presence in the ASEAN region, a part of their midterm plan streamlining operation, financial stability and profitability.

Isao Sekiguchi (left of banner picture) has been appointed as regional vice president for marketing and sales in ASEAN, where he will report to Yukio Ito, corporate vice president for marketing and sales in Japan-ASEAN and is effective starting December 1, 2020.

Prior to his position, he worked for Japanese trading house Sumitomo Corporation, and is responsible for managing automotive companies based in US, Germany, and Slovakia. He later joined Nissan in 2014 as managing director for Nissan North Africa and Egypt, and later on as president director for Nissan Motor Indonesia.

Yutaka Sanada (center of banner picture) is promoted as Nissan’s corporate vice president for corporate strategy and special projects, and will report to Hideaki Watanabe, senior vice president for corporate strategy, new mobility, corporate governance, corporate management, board of directors office. Sanada joined Nissan in 1999 and has held various positions concerning logistics, sales and marketing, production and supply chain management. More recently, he was Nissan’s regional senior vice president and head of Asia & Oceania (A&O) operations.

“Sanada has been instrumental in strengthening the Asia & Oceania region and in driving a focused strategy. He has created a strong, customer-focused organization that makes us well-positioned to tap into new opportunities. In his new role, Sanada’s deep understanding of the business will further support the execution of the Nissan NEXT transformation plan,” said Ashwani Gupta, chief operating officer at Nissan.

Former corporate vice president for Nissan Japan business Yukio Ito (right of banner picture) has been promoted as Nissan corporate vice president marketing and sales for the Japan-ASEAN region, and will report to Asako Hoshino, executive vice president for brand champion, global marketing and sales, global customer experience, MC chairperson for Nissan Japan-ASEAN.

Sanada and Ito’s appointments are effective by January 1, 2021.

The senior management shuffle is part of Nissan NEXT, the company’s corporate revamp, including new car models and market realignment to four key regions: Japan-ASEAN, China, Americas and AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe & Oceania).

Singapore – More consumers in the Asia-Pacific are doing their holiday shopping on their mobile devices, a new survey from mobile advertising AdColony shows.

Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand have the highest share of consumers that prefer to make purchases on their smartphones, as the majority of the country respondents clocked 94%, 93% and 91% respectively. 

AdColony-Online-Shopping-Philippines
AdColony infographic of mobile shopping in the Philippines

Respondents from Thailand (88%), Malaysia (86%), and the Philippines (84%) stated they prefer to shop in-app rather than use a mobile browser. On average, APAC shoppers showed 73% majority of showing the same consumer behavior. 

Purchases related to seeing an advertisement online are also relevant to the majority of APAC consumers, as Indonesia (92%), Malaysia and the Philippines (89%), and Singapore (85%) showed majority of such behavior.

AdColony-Online-Shopping-Malaysia
AdColony infographic of mobile shopping in Malaysia

In terms of what matters most for consumers’ shopping experience on mobile devices, an average of 52% said that easy payment process matters, as evident by the majority of respondents from Thailand (60%), Indonesia (59%), the Philippines (55%) and Malaysia (54%).

Japan (50%), Australia (53%) and Indonesia (56%) said that gifting this holiday should be done via shipping the gift directly to the receiver, while Malaysia (58%) and Thailand (52%) said that they will do the exchange gifting after the gift shipment has arrived.

AdColony-Online-Shopping-Singapore
AdColony infographic of mobile shopping in Singapore

Meanwhile, online ordering, accompanied with concurrent home delivery still ranks as the top choice of shopping for today’s APAC consumers, garnering an average of 85% of all the respondents. Also, 55% of the respondents state that better deals are the prime reason why they shop online, evident by consumer behavior from Malaysia (70%), Singapore (62%) and Thailand (56%).